1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to solar heat generally and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a novel solar heating and distribution system.
2. Background Art
A number of solar heating systems have been used and/or proposed. Prominent among them are the following:
The Trombe wall is elegant in its simplicity and dependability. It consists of a south-facing glass wall and a vertical blackened concrete wall with an air space between them. Energy from the sun passes through the glass and is trapped and absorbed by the wall. Rectangular openings at the base and the top of the wall allow air warmed by the concrete wall to flow into the living space by thermosiphoning. This process continues at night after the sun goes down. To counter the effect of reverse thermosiphoning, the openings may be mechanically closed when the air reverses and flows from the living space to the cooled glass wall. The Trombe wall is thermally effective but is an esthetically poor and relatively expensive massive design for storing and circulating sun-warmed air. One disadvantage of the Trombe wall is that one cannot see through it.
Another system is the Solar Slab which uses conventional building materials. A series of ducts underneath the living space is formed by laying conventional concrete blocks on their sides. During the day, warmed air from the living space warms the blocks and, at night, the warmed air from the blocks warms the living space. This is passive energy transfer, as is the Trombe wall, but among its disadvantages the giving up of a basement space. In at least some parts of the United States, builders refuse to build this type of home because of the possibility of collapse of the ducts.
Among the non-passive methods are various techniques that use roof-mounted solar collectors and pumps to pump heated liquid to a reservoir and various techniques that use heat pumps. These are usually relatively costly.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a solar heat absorbing and distributing system that circulates heated air to a living space.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a system that achieves some of the advantage of a Trombe wall, while allowing one to see through the heat absorbing member.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide such a system that uses very little outside fuel-supplied energy.
Other objects of the present invention, as well as particular features, following description and the accompanying drawing figures.